Johnson only candidate to win all seven precincts

By Leah Justice

leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

Polk County Commissioner candidate Jake Johnson (R) was not only the high vote getter for the entire county but was also the only candidate to win all of Polk’s seven precincts.

Johnson received a total of 2,015 votes, according to unofficial results from the Polk County Board of Elections as of Wednesday, March 16. Johnson won a nomination to run for commissioner as a Republican, along with Tommy Melton with 1,756 votes and Myron Yoder with 1,574 votes.

For the Democrats, Penny Padgett was the high vote getter with 1,558 votes and won five of seven precincts. Also winning a nomination to run for commissioner for the Democrats were Rhonda Lewis with 1,473 votes and Russell Mierop with 1,188 votes.

While Johnson came in first in all seven precincts, runner-up Melton came in second in Coopers Gap, Columbus 1, Columbus 2, Saluda, Tryon and White Oak Townships. Melton came in third in Green Creek.

Yoder came in second in Green Creek and placed third in Coopers Gap, Columbus 1, Columbus 2, Tryon and White Oak and came in fifth in Saluda.

John Dennis Hill lost the bid by 364 votes behind Yoder. Hill received a total of 1,210 votes and placed fourth in Columbus 2, Green Creek, Saluda, Tryon and White Oak and fifth in Coopers Gap and Columbus 1.

Josh Denton received 1,134 votes, losing the bid by 440 votes behind Yoder and was 76 votes behind Hill. Denton came in third place in Saluda, fourth place in Coopers Gap and Columbus 1 and fifth place in Columbus 2, Green Creek, Tryon and White Oak.

For the Democrats, Padgett came in first place in Columbus 1, Columbus 2, Saluda, Tryon and White Oak and second place in Coopers Gap and Green Creek.

Lewis won in Coopers Gap and Green Creek and came in second place in Columbus 1, Columbus 2, Saluda, Tryon and White Oak.

Mierop came in third in Columbus 1, Columbus 2, Green Creek and Tryon and came in fourth place in Coopers Gap, Saluda and White Oak Townships.

Kim Pack lost the Democratic bid by 93 votes under Mierop and came in third place in Coopers Gap, Saluda and White Oak and fourth place in Columbus 1, Columbus 2, Green Creek and Tryon. Pack received 1,095 votes.

The Polk County Board of Elections will canvass the votes on Tuesday, March 22 when the votes will become official.

The general election will be on Tuesday, Nov. 8 where Polk voters will select three out of six candidates for the Polk County Board of Commissioners.

See a breakdown of the commissioner race by precinct below.

Democratic candidates for Polk County Commissioner

 

Padgett              Lewis       Mierop              Pack

Coopers Gap                76                   79                 56                    64

Columbus 1               231                 225                 191                 168

Columbus 2               237                 225               178                 153

Green Creek              236                 241               215                 142

Saluda                        167                 150                 107                 128

Tryon                          472               430                 342                339

White Oak                  139               123                    99                101

Totals:                  1,558           1,473              1,188          1,095

 

Republican candidates for Polk County Commissioner

Johnson          Melton       Yoder               Hill         Denton

Coopers Gap  233                 191                 153                 109             147

Columbus 1   275                 248                 224                 171             173

Columbus 2   434                 381                 355                 238           194

Green Creek   331                 273                 320                 214          199

Saluda             222                 182                 106                 112           119

Tryon              326                 295                 274                 232         181

White Oak      194                 186                 142                 134          121

Totals:           2,015        1,756              1,574           1,210      1,134